The collapsing triangle: U.S. and Soviet policies toward China 1969–1980

Since the late 1960s China has played a crucial role in the calculations and strategies ofthe two superpowers. Anxiety over American Far Eastern policies encouraged the Soviets to pursue better relations with the West, but it may also have been one reason for the subsequent decline of detente and for the invasion of Afghanistan. Troubled by a deteriorating military balance, U.S. policy‐makers have come to rely on Chinese assistance in containing the Soviet Union, but a deepening relationship with China may imply commitments and risks which are not yet fully appreciated.